“The runt of the litter,” Jill said helpfully.
“Yeah, right. And we’re getting to keep him. ’Course, he has to stay with his mom for a while. But then we get to bring him home to live with us. Dad said we could, right, Pete?”
“Right,” Pete chimed in. “And I got to name him.”
“Yeah, but it’s a good name anyway.”
“Yeah, see,” Pete went on, “the puppy’s father’s name is Howard. So I named the puppy Howie.”
Chester and I stared at Howie. He looked into my eyes, then into Chester’s. And then, lifting his head slightly, he let out a tiny, tiny howl.
“aah-oooooooooo.”
“Gee, that’s neat,” Toby said.
“Yeah, neat,” echoed Pete.
I turned to Chester and commented, “Before you know it, he’s going to sound just like his mom and dad.”
But Chester didn’t hear me. He’d fainted dead away.
Epilogue
CHATEAU Bow-Wow was an adventure, and I suppose in some ways, Mr. Monroe was right: adventure is good for the soul. But what I like best about adventures is that they come to an end.
It’s fall now, and I’m glad to be home. Fall means long walks in the woods with Mr. Monroe and Pete, late-night snacks of roasted chestnuts and pumpkin pies with Toby, and rolling in the leaves with Howie. Oh yes, Howie is living with us now. And since it’s his first fall, there’s a lot I have to teach him.
Of course, Chester is sharing in his education. Right now, he’s teaching him how to meditate. Even as I write, I can hear them in the living room.
“Ommmmm …”
“Omm-ooooooooooooooooo …”
“No, you dumb dog. Ommmmmm …”
“Omm-ooooooooooooooooo …”
“Not ‘ooooo,’ you numbskull, ‘ommmmm, OMMMMMM!’ Can’t you hear the difference? Don’t you want to learn? Meditation is good for you. It’ll make you mellow. Keep you cool. Like me. Don’t you want to be like your Uncle Chester? Howie? Howie! Come back here! Where are you going? Get down from there! No, no … not the—Harold!”
Excuse me. I think I’m needed in the living room.
“Harold, get in here! I’m not a nursemaid!”
“In a minute, Chester!”
“He’s going after the geranium! He’s— he’s—”
“He’s what, Chester?”
“He’s eating the geranium!”
“Coming, Chester!”
Well, I’ve got to go. It was quite an adventure, but when all is said and done, there’s no place like …
“Ommmmmmm …”
Front Flap
HAROLD and CHESTER could hardly believe it. The Monroe family was going on vacation without them. Bunnicula, the family rabbit, would be boarded with a neighbor. But they, the family’s loyal dog and cat, were to be sent to stay with strangers; they were to spend a week at Chateau Bow-Wow.
Chateau Bow-Wow, observed Chester, soon after they arrived, could more properly be called Howliday Inn. Though what was howling, neither of them knew. Chester had his suspicions however; only a werewolf could make that chilling a sound.
It didn’t take long for them to get acquainted with their fellow sufferers: Max, a jogging bulldog in a white turtleneck sweater, who was uncomfortably trapped at the apex of a love triangle between two French poodles, Louise and Georgette; Taxi, a dog of uncertain origin and mental capacity; Lyle, a cat whose feet and fantasies knew no bounds; and Heather and Howard, a mysterious pair of wire-haired dachshunds. Add all these, together with two very unlikely humans designated to supply food and comfort to the inmates, and the stage was set for unexpected events—which came far too soon.
First there was the howling; then there were the disappearances; and finally there was the dread suspicion of murder. But who had been murdered? And who had done it? Chester prided himself on his ability as a sleuth. But it took some uncomfortable and dangerous moments for both Chester and Harold to uncover the whole truth.
Rear Flap
JAMES HOWE began his writing career with Bunnicula, which was published in 1979. This book and his next, Teddy Bear’s Scrapbook, were co-authored with his late wife, Deborah. Bunnicula has received numerous awards as a favorite among children throughout the U.S. and Canada and has been published in several foreign-language editions, as well. Howe so enjoyed writing as Harold — the shaggy dog narrator of Bunnicula — that he went on to write further adventures for these characters, including Howliday Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, and Nighty-Nightmare.
The author’s other books for children include Morgan’s Zoo, A Night Without Stars, and the Sebastian Barth mystery series.
James Howe lives with his wife, Betsy Imershein, and their daughter, Zoe, in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.
Jacket design by M. M. Ahern
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Publication Info
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Text copyright © 1982 by James Howe
Pictures copyright © by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction
in whole or in part in any form.
Composition by American Book—Stratford Graphics,
Brattleboro, Vermont
Printed and bound by Fairfield Graphics,
Fairfield, Pennsylvania
Designed by Mary M. Ahern
19 20 18
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING IN PUBLICATION DATA
Howe, James. Howliday Inn.
SUMMARY: While their family is away, Harold
and Chester, a dog and a cat, are boarded
at Chateau Bow-Wow where Chester becomes
increasingly alarmed by the strange behavior
of his fellow guests and
the sudden disappearance of one of them.
[1. Cats-Fiction. 2. Dogs-Fiction. 3. Mystery
and detective stories] I. Munsinger, Lynn. II. Title.
PZ7.H8372Ho [Fic] 81-10886
ISBN 0-689-30846-9 AACR2
Version Info
v 1.0 HTML
Scanned and proofed 2009-04-24
Changes/corrections to the printed book
Dr Greenbriar was saying, / Dr.
tear come to my eye,” last night / eye, “last
So Harrison took Louise, / “So
Ambiguous hyphenation
odd-ball
cross-bred